There are several food and beverage trends that continue to be a driving force behind tea’s growing popularity in the United States.
- Health and Wellness – Consumers continue to show an interest in health and wellness and there is a focus on consuming better-for-you foods and beverages. Thousands of published studies in leading medical journals support the benefits of drinking tea, and consumers continue to reach for tea as a healthier beverage alternative.
- The Intersection of Health and Convenience – Convenience has been a driving trend for some time. Now, with health also top of mind, consumers are looking for simple ways that good-for-you foods can be incorporated into their busy lives. Ready-to-drink tea and Keurig Single Serve SKUs deliver on both convenience and health.
- Experience – Consumers are excited by new experiences and discoveries. This includes the discovery of new and differentiated flavors, formats, and occasions. Tea shops provide more accessibility to many different and unique varieties of tea. In addition, consumers have shown a larger interest in product origins and histories, and tea has a great story.
- Transparency – There is a demand for more transparency and foods that are closer to their natural state. Tea is a natural, simple and whole food.
In short, we are bullish on tea and look for expansion to continue in the U.S. in 2016 and beyond.